Check out these exclusive stills from ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’
Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood visits Los Angeles in 1969, where everything is changing as film and TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognize anymore. The story follows two longtime partners navigating an industry that is moving on without them, all set against the backdrop of a city on the verge of cultural upheaval.
The ninth film from the writer-director features an ensemble cast and multiple storylines in a tribute to the final moments of Hollywood’s golden age. Check out these Once Upon a Time in Hollywood stills we just got our resin-covered fingers on. The images capture the texture of that specific era, from sun-bleached streets to the interiors of aging studio lots, and they give a sense of the world the characters are trying to hold onto.
After months of speculation, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was added to the Cannes Film Festival lineup. Before the much-anticipated premiere at the Croisette, the film’s marketing team dropped two new posters showing DiCaprio as his classic Hollywood alter ego Rick Dalton. Those early images set the tone for a project that leaned into nostalgia while refusing to romanticize it.
We’ve already seen Brad Pitt (Fury) and Leonardo DiCaprio (The Revenant) channeling Robert Redford (All Is Lost) and Paul Newman (Cool Hand Luke) to eerie perfection in the first poster from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The visual pairing of the two leads became one of the campaign’s most recognizable elements, a shorthand for the buddy dynamic that anchors the film.
DiCaprio plays aging movie star Rick Dalton while Pitt portrays his buddy Cliff Booth as they struggle to make it in Hollywood. Tarantino has described the film as taking place in “Los Angeles in 1969, at the height of hippie Hollywood.” That setting places the story at a precise moment when the old studio system was giving way to something less certain and more volatile.
Cast and Ensemble
As you might expect from a Tarantino flick, it’s a star-studded affair, with a cast including Al Pacino (Scarface), Margot Robbie (as Sharon Tate), Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights), Timothy Olyphant (Justified), Luke Perry (The 5th Element), and Dakota Fanning (The Alienist). Luke Perry’s appearance marked his final film role, and the movie carries a dedication to his memory. Burt Reynolds was originally cast but replaced by Bruce Dern after his passing. The core ensemble of DiCaprio, Pitt, and Robbie remained central throughout production and promotion.
Release and Reception
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood maintains Tarantino’s reputation for blending dark historical threads with character-driven storytelling. The film opened on July 26, 2019, and the Cannes reception proved to be an early indicator of broader critical support. Reviews praised the performances, the period detail, and the way the narrative balanced humor with its heavier undercurrents.
Box Office Performance and Commercial Success
The film ultimately grossed $142.5 million domestically and $377.4 million worldwide against an estimated $90 million budget. Its domestic opening weekend came in near $40 million, and international markets including the UK contributed to the strong overall totals. Those numbers positioned the movie as one of Tarantino’s most commercially successful releases, proving that a period piece with an unconventional structure could still draw wide audiences.
Awards and Accolades
At the Academy Awards, Brad Pitt took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, and the film also won for Best Production Design. Golden Globe recognition followed in the comedy categories, reflecting the industry’s appreciation for the balance of tone and craft. The wins added to the film’s profile and reinforced the sense that its ensemble and technical execution had landed with awards voters.
Streaming Availability and Legacy Access
Seven years after its theatrical run, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood remains available on major platforms including Hulu. That continued accessibility has kept the film in circulation for newer viewers who may have missed the original release window. The movie’s cultural footprint has held steady, with its 1969 Los Angeles setting and character dynamics still referenced in discussions of the era and of Tarantino’s body of work.
Sequel Developments: The Adventures of Cliff Booth
More recently, plans were announced for a sequel titled The Adventures of Cliff Booth. Tarantino wrote the script, which David Fincher will direct, and Brad Pitt is set to reprise his role. The project is slated for a Netflix release, extending the original story into new territory while keeping one of the central characters in focus. That development has given the 2019 film an additional layer of ongoing relevance.
The marketing stills from the original campaign captured a specific moment in the film’s rollout, when anticipation was high and the details of the finished movie were still emerging. Those images now sit alongside the completed work, its awards record, and the news of a follow-up project. Together they show how a single film can continue to generate conversation long after its initial release cycle ends.
